US1429693A - Electric clock - Google Patents

Description

L. PlLLloN. l ELECTRIC CLOCK. APPLICATION FILED AUGG |920.

PatentedSept. 19, 1922.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS PILLION, DIJON, FRANCE.

ELECTRIC CLOCK. i

Application ined August 2e, 1920. seriai No. 406,224.

certain new and useful Improvements in and relating to Electric Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is a secondary electric clock comprising at least one series of rotary prisms on the lateral faces of which the hours are indicated.

Each of the prisms is preferably provided with a driving mechanism placed under the control of a central member operated by the main clock to which the secondary clock is connected. The said central member will be in most cases a commutator which will insert periodically an electromagnet belong/- ing to the mechanism of each of the prisms' on a local circuit of the secondary clock. Generally, the prisms are triangular and have transparent surfaces which allow a luminous source to be placed inside the prisms.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example only one mode of construction of a secondary electric clock according to the present invention.

Figure 1 is a. front view of a clock according to the present invention showing three series of prisms indicating the hours, the quarters of an hour, the halves of an hour and the minutes.

Figure 2 is a side view of a driving mechanism for each of the prisms. Figure 3 is a side view of the same mechanism 90 from that of Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows a diagrammatic general arrangement of the indications on the faces of the prisms shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a partial view of the commutator.

Referrin to the various Figures, a are prisms eac of which is rotatably-mounted on a shackle Z) screwed on to the wall of the clock; a small electric lamp'c is placed inside the prisms. The prismsare integral with an axle @Z carrying a pinion dA the movement of which depends on that of a' toothed wheel e integral with a ratchet wheel f. e and f are mounted on an axis g which carries also the anchor h -of an electromagnet i the turns of which are connected to a commutator lo comprising sixty main bars and a certain number of intermediate bars, both kinds o fybars being capable of being successively vinserted .in the circuit of a primary cell by means of a brush Z. The latter. is rendered integral with a ratchet wheel having 60 teeth, and which is rotated through one-sixtieth of a revolution by means of .a locking mechanism- (not shown) operated by an electromagnet each time that the said electromagnet is excited, that is, each time that the main clock sends an impulse into the circuit and connects it to the secondary clock which we are describing. In this particular case the said impulses succeed each other every minute and each time the brush of the commutator will move from one main bar to another; it will insert in the local circuit one or other or sometimes several electromagnets of the driving mechanism simultaneously. The excitation of the 'electromagnets will cause the anchor tto oscillate, the amplitude of the oscillation being adjusted by means of sto-p pieces so as to be of 30o. The motion of the anchor is transmitted through its pawl to the ratchet wheel f which carries over the wheel e through a corresponding angle, the movey ment of the wheel e being transmitted to the pinion cl. The ratio of ther gears e and d is as 4 to 1, so that the pinion d will rotate through 1200 at each oscillation, carrying the prism on the axle of which it is mounted with it.

In the diagrammatic arrangement Yshown in Figure 2, the clock shows 0. ln order that it shall show one oclock the prisms F and H should be rotated through one-third of a revolution each; the windings of their electromagnets will therefore be connected parallel to the corresponding bar of the commutator. ln order that it shall show two oclock it is again the prism H that should be rotated through one-third of a revolution, the numeral H will be then in front; for three oclock the prism H remains in the same position, ithe prism J rotates through one-third of a revolution adding thus the numeral l to the numeral shown by the prism H; for four oclock it is again the prism J that rotates; when it is rotated through another third of .a revolution its numeral H will be added to the numeral shown by the prism H; for ve oclock it of a revolution vthus bringing the prisms H and J in their blank position and enabling numeral V of the lprism G to be seen.

For the'quarters of an hour, halves and three-quarters which are added to the number of minutes which are shown (the'hour in Figure l is read 19h 38m) the Working of the apparatus will be exactly the same. The electromagnets of the prisms which are simultaneously displaced will be interconnected in parallel from the corresponding commutator.

tionto bring it at V and the prisms H and J through one-third of a revolution to bring them both at the fresh position.

The supplementary bar m is connected to the electromagnet of the prism G in such a manner that the latter is excited twice when the brush of the commutator passes from one main bar to another main bar.

' By this means it is obtained that it shall rotate through 240.

A secondary electric clock in which the dial comprises at least one series of prisms on the faces of Which the hours, the quarters of an hour and the minutes are indicated, in combination With a driving mechanism for each prism, a central member which operates the said 'driving mechanisms and means for operating the central member from a main clock as set forth.

In testimony -Whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

` LOUIS PILLION. Witnesses: JULIA XENBLE SMEDBERG,

M. PICORNOT.

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